The Tumultuous Sky and His Entourage of Weirdos
by Kaguya-Hime713
Summary: Xanxus had always known his father wasn't really his father. From the first moment his mother called his name, he'd known. OR: Xanxus wasn't /actually/ Xanxus but that didn't stop him from /being/ Xanxus. Perhaps, he'd mused, he was even /more/ of a terror than the original Xanxus.
1. In Which There is Emilio

Chapter 1: In Which There is Emilio OR: "Emilio Discovers His Anger Powers" OR: Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes

 _Boycott love_

 _Detox just to retox_

 _ **And I'd promise you anything for another shot at life**_

 _And perfect boys with their perfect lives_

 _ **Nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy**_

 _ **(Wants to hear you sing about tragedy)**_ _  
_

* * *

Xanxus hadn't actually known he _was_ Xanxus(and all the name entailed)until he was six. Before he became Xanxus, he was Emilio.

Emilio was a poor, intelligent street rat, born to an equally poor and mentally ill mother. Oh, for the first three or four years of his life he hadn't been on the streets thanks to a collection of youth hostels, sure, but soon his mother hadn't been able to afford it. So, they lived on the streets. During winter they took shelter in literal garbage(a fact that, at first, had horrified the woman-boy but he soon sucked it up because _there was no choice_ )and in the summer they slept in cool backstreets.

Emilio and his mother were always moving, always looking for food or money. The little boy had taken to pick pocketing early on and stealing fruits and such from stands. Sometimes, he begged older women for spare change(his face was so _young_ and _cute_ that they couldn't help but take pity). He did anything and everything to keep himself and his mother fed.

It wasn't _always_ enough. On bad days, when the sky was gray and people deigned to stay inside, Emilio simply went without food and scavenged for his disturbed mother. She didn't seem to notice that he hadn't eaten(she didn't even know days of the week-and neither did Emilio but that was mostly due to a lack of calendar)and went on with her usual business-of which Emilio was sure he didn't want to know about. His mother usually disappeared on him but she always managed to find him again, no matter the circumstances.

It really helped when the local animals-mostly alley cats and a few dogs-seemed to take a liking to the child. They shared their kills with him and in return he gave them affection and protection from other children and adults. They were a tight knit family, and when Emilio had to move on to different streets, the cats usually followed after him. His mother didn't notice except during the cold nights when the cats would share their body heat with the two of them.

(Emilio's cats didn't _really_ like his mother but they tolerated her because of his affection for her.)

The combination of his new life and the stress of finding food left Emilio a bitter, _angry_ child. He remembered what it was like to live in a warm house, remembered eating at least three or four meals a day. God, he remembered simply living without a care, without worrying about where he was going to sleep or where his next meal was going to come from.

(Really, _fuck_ all those people who saw him and did nothing to help. He didn't need pity, he needed food.)

It was no surprise, then, on a particularly bad day that he _accidentally lit himself on fire_. Really, it happened to **everyone** at some point! There was nothing _odd_ about the fact that he was on fire. He was just being _stupid_ and was irritated beyond belief(there may have been angry tears involved at some point)and then-!

Fire! His hands were on _**FIRE!**_ As if that was a normal, everyday occurrence!

(Privately, he was _very_ fucking _freaked the fuck out thank you very much_. But, also, the fact that he was on fire and _not burning to death_ tickled his memory. There was a boy-Sawada Tsunayoshi?-who was part of the mafia? Dying Will Flames? Was that-)

He only managed to stop crying when his cats showed no fear of the fire. They purred against him and even touched his flaming hands. They didn't get burned by it, a feat that he was surprised by. His flaming hands hadn't caused their untimely death and were actually quite warm.

(Emilio knew he couldn't show this to his mother-not yet anyway. There was something eerily familiar about all of this.)

Abruptly, the flame vanished without so much as a trail of smoke. Emilio angrily wiped at the tears and sat on his haunches. The filthy, mangy cats crowded around him and attempted to comfort the five year old. Emilio picked one of the smaller, younger ones up and held it to his chest, burying his face in the surprisingly soft fur.

His mind was whirling at the overload of information that currently ran through it. The fire-Dying Will Flames, a high density form of energy refined from one's own life force-was something he could _use_. It could benefit him in ways he hadn't yet conceived of.

Emilio was a street brat. He was dirty and poor and sometimes ate dead rats just to soften the blow of the ever-present hunger in his stomach. People looked at him in pity and thinly veiled disgust. His mother was mentally ill and couldn't hold down any kind of job. His father was probably a rapist, if his mother's ramblings were to be believed. His only friends and companions were a herd of overly attached cats(and a few dogs)that helped him steal food from vendors. He was only five years old but he might as well have been thirty. He had dreams about another life, where he was a happy, smart woman with a stable job and a warm home to return to. Emilio might have been as insane as his mother because of that last fact, but there was no denying that he didn't _feel_ like a child at all.

(But, he thought fiercely, he would not be _**weak**_. Emilio was strong and cunning, and he would be better than those people who sneered at him. He would rise above those who denied his existence. He would _not_ be **trash**. He would _not_ be **scum**.

He.

Would.

Be.

King.)

(His Flame burned brightly once more, fueled by his rage.)

* * *

 _Omake: A Day in the Life of a Beggar_

Emilio knew today was going to be a good day. It was peak tourist season and there were _plenty_ of older women to con. Hurriedly, the cunning five year old mussed his hair and bit his lip hard enough to bleed. Tears welled up in his eyes and he sucked on the wound lightly to hid the blood. A crying, dirty five year old with a cute face was guaranteed to receive anything from a woman with a bleeding heart.

He scanned the crowd through his tears and stumbled toward an American woman in her thirties. She had a baby with her, and Emilio knew for a fact that mothers were the easiest targets for him.

" _Posso avere i soldi?_ " he asked the woman once he was close enough. He sniffled and wiped his nose with the sleeve of his filthy coat. The woman glanced at him in confusion and dug through her belongings. She took out an English-Italian dictionary and flipped through it with long, thin fingers.

"Ah, _puoi ripetere la domanda, per favore ragazzo?"_ she asked slowly of him. Emilio could have asked her in English but he really should learn his own native language.

" _Posso avere i soldi_?" he said, slow enough that she could look up each word. The woman took a moment to translate then nodded with a smile.

"Of course sweetie," she replied in English, sympathy coloring her tone. Emilio shuffled and stared at her toddler in distracted curiosity. The baby stared back and the older boy jerked his head away.

" _Grazie_ ," he mumbled, kissing the woman's hand as she handed him a few euro. He stuffed the money in his jacket pocket and waddled off, waving his thanks. The woman waved back, seemingly sad about his appearance. Emilio grit his teeth in frustration and scanned the crowd for his next target.

(He hated- _loathed_ -begging for money but he had no choice. His mother-his mother _wasn't fit_ to raise a child on the streets and he _had_ to do something to provide for them.)

(But, it was worth it at the end of the day to see his mother's face when he presented her with the euro he'd begged out of well-meaning women. They were able to stay at a hostel and clean themselves for a week with the amount he'd made!)

(Years later, when he was _Xanxus the Varia Boss_ , he'd see children as filthy as he'd been and he'd rent out entire hotel rooms and herd them into the glamorous rooms. Yeah, he was _Xanxus_ , but that didn't necessarily mean he was without sympathy or empathy. And to think his stupid subordinates thought he spent that money on meat or wine!)

(Well, he _did_ spend a ton of dirty money on his fine wines. Xanxus was just not _Xanxus_ without his raging alcoholism.)

* * *

This might be slower in updates than _The Curious Case of Mami Kozato_. Usually, I like to spew out several chapters to tide me over when motivation/inspiration is at a low but I got impatient and published this ahead of time. I only have the one chapter for now, and the beginnings of a second one in the works. I am really excited for this story, since it involves Xanxus and headcanons. Xanxus will still be angry but he'll be even more cunning than normal. A deadly combination. Xanxus is also gonna have CRISES because really, when you know for a fact that you can't inherit but have to pretend you don't know that you can't inherit well-that leads to things like questioning the universe.  
I can't wait to get to the Sky Battle-several, several chapters away from now. OOOOH the stuff I have planned for this story! I'm so excited. Included an omake because I felt this was too short lol.

Translations for the omake:

 _Posso avere i soldi:_ Can I have money?

 _Puoi ripetere la_ _domanda_ , _per favore ragazzo?:_ Can you repeat the question, please boy?

 _Grazie_ : Thank you

Next chapter: Emilio-Xanxus makes a mistake and becomes Xanxus.


	2. In Which A Mistake Is Made

Chapter 2: In Which a Mistake is Made OR: Emilio becomes Xanxus and Realizes Things OR: The (Shipped) Gold Standard

 _ **You can only blame your problems on the world for so long**_

 _ **Before it all becomes the same old song**_

 _As soon as we hit the hospital I know we're gonna leave this town_

 _And get new passports, get out now_

* * *

Emilio was not a stranger to fighting. He had, often, fought off feral animals _and_ children who had deemed it smart to go after _his_ cats.

(He also had memories of tussling with a brother- _Her_ brother, who was nasty as _hell_ and spat hateful words towards his caring sister-and more often that not winning. Emilio's pain tolerance was stupidly high.)

So when a strange man threatened to attack his mother, well, Emilio _had_ to defend her. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to her.

The man loomed at the entrance to the dead end, cornering the six year old and his unstable mother. His grin was sharp, deadly, and a knife glinted off the sun's scarce rays. Emilio stood in front of his mother, his cats crowding the alley and hissing at the intruder. One of the dogs-an older mutt missing his tail-growled lowly but the man didn't spare a glance at them.

"Time to pay you back, bitch!" the man snarled, twirling the knife expertly. Emilio scowled. _Of course_ this intruder was a knife expert.

"Get the fuck out of here!" Emilio hollered, his small form shaking slightly. The man snickered at the sight of the dirty, thin child.

"Why don't you run along, _ragazzo_ , and leave your whore mother to get what she deserves," he sneered. Emilio stiffened as the man walked closer. He'd never been more scared in his life.

(And the thought that he was mostly helpless against this-this _insignificant man_ who sought revenge-sparked an inferno of rage inside his heart.)

(Emilio was anything _but_ helpless.)

(And he would prove it.)

Before the man could even blink, Emilio was in his face. He recklessly grabbed the man's wrist and squeezed, hard. Somehow, the man's wrist broke and fell apart. He cried out in pain and horror as his stump hand bled freely.

(Emilio, of course, hadn't noticed his hand was on fire. But, oh, _his mother did_.)

The man barely had time to scream before Emilio's cats all pounced on him. The animals bit and scratched savagely, and Emilio joined them. His thin fingers with his sharp, _sharp_ nails pinched and scratched, dug into the man's skin and _pulled_. In his blind rage, Emilio didn't notice the man's skin disintegrate as it made contact with the Flames he emitted.

"Don't you _ever_ come near us again!" he shouted as the man scrambled on his limbs, trying to escape the crazed beast that was Emilio. The man was sobbing hysterically, screaming about a devil child and his horde of evil cats.

(Emilio hadn't cared but he'd found out sometime later that the man had died, his body turning to dust and scattering.)

Emilio spat out a glob of blood-the man had panicked and swiped at him, clipping him sharply in the face-and a loose tooth. His cats began calming, taking the time to groom themselves. A few pawed at his legs and he kneeled, allowing them to lick off the blood that littered his skin.

" _Emilio_ , my _Emilio_ ," his mother cooed, bypassing the animals and pulling Emilio to her chest. Emilio hugged his mother carefully, trying to keep her somewhat free of blood.

"I'm ok mother. He's gone. He's not gonna come back," Emilio soothed the frantic woman. She hugged him tighter to herself, fingers digging into his tangled locks.

"My _Emilio_ ," she murmured again, lowly.

(Emilio didn't know what was going through her mind.)

(Then again, he never really knew what his mother thought at any moment.)

His cats began ushering out of the alley one by one, eyes wide and alert. Emilio knew that they'd be vigilant for at least another week or so. They always were, especially after attacks to their own. The boy turned back to his mother, who was watching him with an unreadable look in her eyes.

(If only he knew the consequences of the mistake he'd made.)

"It's ok mother. We'll be alright," he told her. His mother didn't seem to hear him. Her hands continued to weave patterns in his mangy hair.

(She wasn't looking at him, he knew, not anymore.)

(Emilio tried to squash the hurt that he felt at the action.)

(He failed.)

* * *

"Emilio," his mother cooed at him, a few days after the attack, "come here." Her voice was sweet, not at all tired as it usually was. She hummed at him- _actually hummed!_ -as he walked closer. Emilio stopped in front of her, unsure whether he should feel happy or wary.

(On one hand, his mother was humming.)

(On the other, she was _humming_.)

(She _never_ hummed.)

"What is it mother?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly. One of the smaller dogs whimpered softly at his distress, nudging the six year old's leg with his paw. He gently patted the animal before turning his russet eyes towards his mother.

"I want you to show me your Flame, dearie," she said gently, an almost crazed look on her face. Emilio froze.

(How did his mother _know_ about it?)

( _The fight_ with the strange man, his mind supplied, having made the next step in logic.)

"Alright," he replied numbly. Anger at himself for being so careless rushed forward and his hand was alight with the maroon Flame. His mother's eyes widened and she fell to her knees in front of him. Emilio shuffled awkwardly as she took his wrist in her palm, staring reverently at the Flame.

"Do you know what this means, my child?" she asked him. He shook his head, his gut curling in apprehension.

"What do you mean, mother?" he questioned curiously. Her smile was wide.

"I mean, _you_ are the child of the Ninth Vongola boss. You shall henceforth be known as _Xanxus_ , my little one. _You_ are destined to be the Tenth Vongola boss, for _your_ name has two X's, the number of ten. No one else is fit to hold the position," she told him, voice whimsical. Emilio froze.

(He was _Xanxus_.)

(He should've _known_.)

(His Flame manifested when he was angry-the Flame of Wrath, wielded by the _Secondo di Vongola_.)

(Holy shit, _he_ was _Xanxus_.)

(His father wasn't-wasn't his father, not really. Xanxus _had_ no father.)

(He was going to _lose, lose, lose_ to Sawada Tsunayoshi.)

(The Vongola Ring was going to _reject_ him for that-that _trash_!)

(Byakuran was going to take over the world, was going to die by Tsunayoshi's hand.)

(The Simon-a weak family with a weaker, scummier boss-were going to attack and unlock something dangerous.)

(His legs, his arm, they were going to be sawed off by that damned Vindice! Oh, how **angry** that made him.)

(His entire future was flashing in front of him, the memories rushing from ages back. Xanxus wasn't going to be Decimo. He didn't even have the right _blood_!)

Xanxus wailed as he fell to his knees, his head pounding in agony. His Flame died down and vanished without so much as a smoke trail. His mother caught him, her smile widening.

"Good, my child, I am happy you accept this duty," she told him. Xanxus grit his teeth and pounded his fists against the ground.

(He was going to be a failure before he'd even _live!_ )

( _But_ , his mind whispered, _he had_ Her _memories_. _She_ would lead him to greatness. _She_ had all the cards in _Her_ hand, and Xanxus would use them to his benefit.)

( _He_ - **She** - _ **They**_ would be Decimo, no matter _**what**_.)

* * *

A/N: Woo, managed to crank out the second chapter! So, Xanxus is now _officially_ Xanxus. I know this chapter was light on the paragraphs but eh. Who **really** needs a consistent writing style, huh? Hopefully, with time, the chapters will get longer but idk. I'm a fan of getting To The Point. Longer chapters also take longer to write, as well, and if I write a super long chapter then it will reveal far too much and I don't wanna show my hand just quite yet.

That last scene, where Xanxus is going through the future thing? Yeah, his memories from his past life are flooding his brain, just to clear that up. He's always known he had a past life but there wasn't much to trigger the memories. His name, however, is a different story. The **'She/Her'** refers to who Xanxus was before. Xanxus will continue to make references to **Her** throughout the fic, though only in his mind. And idk, maybe I'll have a chapter about **Her** life before she died or something, or an omake about **Her**.

Xanxus is now determined to become Decimo, regardless of what he knows. While most people would probably be depressed about something like this, Xanxus is only angry and determined, a deadly combination. He's _always_ angry lol. (Except his anger isn't the stupid, impulsive kind. It's the deadly kind that shouldn't be taken lightly.)

OH! Xanxus prefers **he/they** pronouns but flip flops between them. Only the current POV will incorporate this and p much only Squalo and Mammon will know about Xanxus' pronouns. So basically, I might switch it up between chapters(though I'll wait till Xanxus is older in story). If you see the pronoun **'they'** it will be referring to Xanxus(or two or more people-depends on the context). Characters in-story will strictly refer to Xanxus as **'he'** except Squalo and Mammon on occasions. ALSO: When Mammon enters, they will also be referred by the pronoun **'they'** (I def subscribe to non-binary Mammon).

(BTW Xanxus has 33 alley cats-he doesn't name them cause there are too many-and 3 dogs, which he doesn't name cause he _sucks_ at naming things.)

 **Next chapter** : Timeoteo arrives to take Xanxus. Xanxus isn't leaving without his cats OR mother.  
Don't forget to review and let me know your thoughts!


	3. In Which There is a Father

Chapter 3: In Which There is a Father OR Novocaine OR Dancing with the Devil

 _This is a black, black ski mask song._

 _ **So put all of your anger on.**_

 _ **In the truly gruesome do we trust.**_

 _I will always land on you like a sucker punch._

 _Singing I am your worst, I am your worst nightmare._

* * *

Xanxus knew the day was coming, especially after his mother renamed him _Xanxus_. He knew, with no uncertainty, that the Vongola Ninth would come for him and take him away from his mother forever. Xanxus couldn't allow that. His mother, though deranged, was _still his mother_. At the end of the day, she was the one who took care of him as best she could.

(Not to mention he'd have to leave his cats. Xanxus could _never_ leave his cats behind. They were just as much family as his mother was.)

His mother smiled serenely above his head, her hand cold but gentle on his shoulder. Xanxus shivered as a gust of brisk, winter wind tore through his thin clothes easily. The alleyway provided a small bit of resistance against the wind, but it was especially bad today. There was a small meow from one of the newer kittens and Xanxus bent down to pick it up, offering the feline his meager warmth. At his feet, several cats scurried around him, eyes wide and alert, tails straight up in the air.

"Xanxus, dear, we're going to meet someone special today," his mother sweetly told him, after a morning of silence. Xanxus grunted and glanced up at her, his dirty fingers glued to the kitten's dark fur. It squeaked in discomfort and he adjusted his grip on it's thin body. His mother didn't notice the animal in his small grasp.

(Today was one of her _good_ days too. She must've been _so excited_ to give her son to the Vongola.)

"Who?" he asked, though he didn't need to. He was still, after all, only six. Six year olds were curious, weren't they?

"Your father," she replied, voice thick like honey. Xanxus paused and glanced up at her face. She was positively _glowing_ , almost as if she were healthy and well-fed. A spark of familiar anger welled up within Xanxus' small body.

(His mother was happy, _so happy_ , like he'd never seen before. All because she thought Xanxus was the son of a mafia don. What would happen to her, he wondered, if Xanxus didn't force Timoteo to yield to his request?)

( _She'd forget_ , **She** whispered, horrified. _She'd forget his existence and die in a back alley without a single clue_.)

The kitten mewled again and Xanxus carefully allowed it to jump out of his arms. Quickly, another cat took it's place, as if sensing his anger. He furiously scrubbed at the animal's mangy, tangled fur, picking out clumps of dirt and blood. It wasn't as if the cats _hadn't_ groomed themselves, but there was so much _dirt_ on the streets that it was impossible for their sandpaper tongues to get all of it out.

"I have a father?" he asked after the long pause. His mother didn't seem to notice the lapse in time as she herded him further down the alley. One of the dogs trotted beside his mother, helping her keep pace with his shorter, faster strides.

"Mmm, you do my little Xanxus. He's a very powerful man, your father. He's the leader of the Vongola, the biggest mafia group in Italy!" she crooned excitedly. Xanxus huffed and continued grooming his precious cat. The feline purred like a lawnmower, practically vibrating in Xanxus' arms.

(His _father_ would train him up, make him into a beast that cared for nothing except some worthless, powerful title, and then throw Xanxus away like yesterday's trash. _Why_ was he going through with this again, if disappointment and hatred was his only reward?)

(He was going to become _Decimo_ despite the setbacks, _wasn't he?_ **She** felt the same way.)

Xanxus picked his head up at the sound of a motor purring, his russet eyes connecting with an older man's. He blinked at the sudden rush of memories that accompanied the connection. Nausea churned his stomach, his head exploding in pain.

(A robot-Gola Mosca?-fighting with a boy. Xanxus, egging the teenager on, keeping his distance. The robot going berserk. Tsuna, cutting Mosca down and Xanxus setting him up.)

(The cane, exploding in Flames and freezing Xanxus, the scars that sank deep into his skin.)

(Timoteo presenting the Sin to Tsuna at the Inheritance Ceremony, Xanxus never showing up.)

(The kindly old grandfather, sealing away Tsuna's Flames until the boy grew.)

Xanxus grit his teeth, the animals sensing his anguish. The cat in his arms pushed his face out of her fur, her claws hooking into his skin. He followed her paw, fighting through the intense headache forming. The feline licked his forehead, grooming him as he did her. Xanxus sighed and allowed the cat to do whatever she wanted.

Timoteo glanced at the duo in clear surprise. He had expected the woman and her son, but not the stray animals that followed the two. There was a horde of mostly cats of all ages and sizes, trailing behind the child loyally, eyes keen and _watching_ him with a startling intelligence. It unnerved the Vongola boss, though he wouldn't admit it out loud.

"You must be Anna," he greeted cordially, grasping the woman's hand and kissing the back of it tenderly. Anna blinked, a crooked smile adorning her face. Xanxus kept his grip tight on his feline companion, the animal purring and rubbing against his darkened skin.

"Timoteo, dear, it's nice to see you again," she replied. Her voice was thick, intoxicated with power. She stood a little straighter, puffing her chest out. Xanxus froze as his mother looked at him, sweat trickling down his back. A harsh gust of wind tore at him once more.

"Hmm, yes," he replied, shifting his weight to one foot. Xanxus warily eyed him, his anger boiling beneath the surface in case he needed to defend himself or his mother.

"This is our son, Xanxus," she murmured, pushing him forward. The cats parted like the Red Sea before him, their bodies tense and ready to attack. Xanxus felt a wave of affection for the dirty, mangy animals that devoted themselves to him.

" _Ciao_ ," he greeted sarcastically, a scowl on his little face. Anna didn't seem to notice but Timoteo did. He smiled patiently and kneeled before Xanxus, palms facing upward.

"Your mother told me you have an interesting Flame, little one. May I see it?" he asked softly, not put off at all by Xanxus' hostility. The six year old glared but complied, pulling at his core for the source of that Flame. In his palm was a small ball of light, not purely Sky Flames. The Flame of Wrath reflected his wine eyes, almost mocking him.

(He'd never be Vongola Decimo as far as blood was concerned, and it was the mixed, distorted Flames that _proved_ it.)

"Amazing, isn't he? Only six years old and already he's commanded his blood heritage," his mother said, her smile growing until her cheeks bumped the area under her eye. It must have been irritating at the very least but she paid no mind. Her eyes were watching, drunk as they were, the exchange between supposed father and son. Timoteo cleared his throat.

"It's remarkable. He is definitely my son," he rumbled.

( _Liar_ , **She** whispered.)

"Is the car ready for us?" his mother inquired, head titled lovingly. Timoteo hesitated for a moment, eyes darting down to the cats. Their slitted eyes were still watching, waiting for the moment, the signal from Xanxus, to attack this strange man.

"Yes, but, little one, you can't….bring all of these cats," he murmured softly, apologetic.

 _(Something_ twisted violently in his gut. He wasn't going anywhere without his cats! He'd rather _**burn**_.)

( **She** soothed his mind with a whisper, hushing his fears.)

" _ **If you don't let me take them, I'll go straight to the**_ Stella di Mare _**and inform them that I'm your son**_ ," _**They**_ snarled as one. Immediately, Timoteo rose to his full height and scowled. " _ **Furthermore, I want my mother to come with us as well. If you want me, you'll also take her and the rest of the**_ famiglia _ **.**_ "

(This was _stupid, stupid, stupid_! Xanxus held no sway over this powerful man.)

(But he wouldn't ever leave his cats behind. Or his mother.)

( **She** nudged him gently into paying attention.)

( _See,_ **She** whispered, pointing to his eyes, _look at his eyes. He's wavering. Using his compassion against him was correct_.)

Timoteo struggled to say anything for a moment. Xanxus' mother didn't notice the lapse, too caught up in visions of grandeur. Xanxus glared harder, if possible, mentally willing the older man to his knees. The cats were hissing, sensing the tension in the air. Eventually, Timoteo let out a very, very small sigh and Xanxus knew he'd won.

(Manipulating others was too easy, especially when **She** helped. **She** was a natural.)

"I suppose I could allow it. Let me call another car while we make our way to the mansion," he said, smiling gently. Xanxus' eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms.

"Nope," he sneered popping the p, "I'm waiting for the car with them, _old man_." Timoteo's smile grew smaller until it disappeared.

"Xanxus, I am a man of my word. You can trust me," he intoned gently, falling to his haunches in front of the boy. He wrapped his red scarf around Xanxus' neck and Xanxus grew mad at the warmth of the scarf.

( _Don't let him sway you_ , **She** whispered. _Remember the kindly old man is a front._ )

" _I'll_ be the judge of that," he spat in the old man's face, a sneer of contempt on his face. Timoteo simply patted his head.

* * *

Once the third car was loaded with the last of the cats, Xanxus stepped into it, helping his mother in first. Timoteo was _still_ smiling at him, but Xanxus wouldn't allow the older man to gain any kind of a hold over him. He couldn't afford to grow attached, not if he wanted that throne for himself.

 _(If we are to be Decimo, we cannot allow the current Boss to see our weakness_ , **She** reminded him, distantly.)

( **No** , _He_ agreed, **we cannot**.)

* * *

Omake: Fucking Tubbs

Xanxus held his hand out and Levi carefully handed over his boss' prized phone. Grunting, the Varia Boss input his password and inspected his apps, russet eyes narrowed as he tapped on one.

The familiar chime of Neko Atsume played, loudly, in his office. Xanxus huffed at the empty yard on screen and tapped on the small _gifts_ icon. Idly scrolling through the lengthy list, he stopped on one in particular. Rage filled his veins and he growled like a rabid dog.

"Fucking _Tubbs_! That selfish little bastard ate the fucking _expensive_ cat food!" he seethed.

"Shall I have Tubbs removed, Boss?" Levi asked seriously, his hand hovering over his phone. Xanxus sneered and closed the app.

"No you fucking bastard," he replied, blindly reaching for his wine bottle and whipping it at Levi's head. His subordinate barely flinched.

"Of course, Boss. My mistake Boss."

( _Really_ , **She** told _Him_ exasperatedly, _what does he expect when someone threatens a cat in front of us, real or otherwise?_ )

* * *

IM SO SORRY? THAT IM LATE? THIS HAS BEEN HALF FINISHED FOR A WHILE AND I /JUST/ GOT THE MOTIVATION TO FINISH THE CHAPTER. But I'm really tired and maybe that is a Bad Thing to do while writing? ANYWAY, **She** reveals her slightly manipulative tendencies but like...Xanxus has been doing that for a while(I just re-read the first two chapters like holy HELL Emilio knows how to work people). Xanxus got his wish though, which was his mother and his cats. He loves his cats v v much because again, they were THERE for him during the bad times. They're all such Bros I swear.

TBH I think it's nice that Tubbs gives a lot of fish but he chases the other kitties away which is Not Nice. D:

Translation note: Stella di Mare means starfish. In the wild, starfish cover clams and pry them open to eat them :D. Fun fact.

 **Next time:** Xanxus meets his older brothers and shenanigans ensue.

(ALSO I'M SORRY IF THIS ISNT UP TO STANDARD OR GOOD I'M SO TIRED)


	4. In Which There are Brothers

Chapter 4: In Which There are Brothers OR: Attack of the Cats

* * *

Enrico, Massimo, and Federico hovered in the lobby of the mansion, their curiosities piqued. Earlier, their father had left in a rush after receiving a phone call from a(near)hysterical woman. He'd been gone all morning and the brothers were growing bored from all of the waiting, the excitement draining as the hours wore on.

(Their excitement, however, grew again once they found out that he'd called for _two more cars_ to escort him.)

"What d'you think he's even _doing_?" Federico, the youngest, drawled. His eyes never left his GameBoy, the sounds of his game echoing down the hallway loudly. Massimo shrugged, his own gaze never leaving his phone. It lit up, indicating a new text.

"Man who _cares_. Maybe he bought us a harem each," the middle brother leered, furiously typing on his phone. Enrico scowled and thumped his brother over the head.

"How vulgar can you _be_ , Massimo?" he asked rhetorically, scowling. Massimo huffed and pocketed his phone. His hands cradled the back of his sore head.

" _What?_ I'm just saying," he replied with a sneer, huffing. "Am I right brother, or am I right?" he asked Federico, who held his hand out in a gesture of _stop_.

"Don't you drag _me_ into this, _old man_ ," the ten year old replied. Massimo's mouth dropped wide open and his face grew red in anger. Enrico could practically _see_ the steam rising out of his brother's ears.

" _Old man?_! I'm _fifteen!_ You little _brat!_ " he spat, lunging for the youngest. Federico frantically ducked under his brother and hid behind Enrico, who sighed and caught the fifteen year old. Massimo pushed his weight forward in an attempt to get at the boy but Enrico was stronger and successfully held him back. Federico nearly stuck his tongue out in triumph but Enrico shot him a glare that _dared_ the other to gloat.

"Cut it out Massimo. It's a _joke_. You'll live," he reprimanded, internally groaning. God, he was already _nineteen_. Breaking up a potential fight between his younger brothers was not the ideal situation at all.

(And yet, it was better than the alternative: Breaking up a potential _gun_ fight between families.)

" _AAAAAAHHH_!" Massimo yelled, abruptly slumping over. Enrico shook his head at the antics, dropping his brother onto the floor. "Ow! What the _hell_ En?!"

"That was for trying to go after Federico. He's _ten_. He's _supposed_ to be a snot nosed brat," he pointed out. Massimo snorted and crossed his arms, turning his head away from his brother.

" _Traitor_ ," he hissed lowly. Enrico rolled his eyes at the statement, turning to Federico.

"And Federico, who do you have to rile him up? You _know_ Massimo is sensitive." Massimo's face reddened once more, his eyes practically on fire with the intensity of his glare. Enrico ignored him, giving Federico a pointed look. "I might not always be there to stop him you know. And what would Father's subordinates think? You _both_ need to start taking things more seriously."

Massimo scowled, pulling himself to a stand. Federico wasn't looking at either of his brothers, his stomach churning in barely-concealed anxiety.

"Hey weren't you _just_ saying that he's _ten?_ Leave the mafia business at the door or in the office, _brother_ ," Massimo spat. He wasn't one to bring up the mafia-preferring to reap the benefits of the Vongola's success without stepping into the dark world-and he'd be _damned_ if anyone tried to sway his younger brother into joining the bloody world.

(Massimo was not the smartest but even _he_ knew of the mafia's darkness-particularly the Vongola's.)

"Do you think that you can protect him forever? He's already ten! When _I_ was ten, I was learning how to negotiate with rival families, not play _games_!" Enrico retorted, unexpectedly angry. Usually he kept his calm during a fight but Massimo knew that this was a different fight.

(And Enrico was _always_ quick to give in to his anger when it concerned his precious _Vongola_.)

Before Massimo could retort, there was a scratching sound that cut him off. Pausing, the brothers stopped their fight and tilted an ear to listen to. Curios, they rushed towards the source of the noise that was only growing louder. All three exchanged looks at the front door, where the noise was loudest. As one, they grasped the doorknob and twisted.

(They really shouldn't have.)

A hoard of _cats_ raced through room as suddenly as a flood. Massimo tripped and fell when he tried to back away, sneezing horribly. He was soon buried underneath the fur mountain, coughing and sneezing without pause.

" _Massimo!_ " Enrico cried as the middle brother sunk to the floor, helpless to the stampede of the felines. The eldest reached out to pull him up but he too toppled over the skittering cats.

" _Enrico! Massimo!_ " Federico yelled out in horror, having witnessed the downfall of both his brothers. He flinched and grasped the doorknob with both hands, his GameBoy forgotten in the pandemic.

"What's _with_ all these cats?!" Enrico screeched. He wiggled around in an attempt to escape but that proved futile. Massimo stopped struggling, choosing to accept his gruesome fate.

(His only regret was that he never got to go on that date with the pretty redhead.)

"You're all a bunch of _idiots_ ," an unfamiliar, young voice sneered. Federico gasped and twisted to look at the intruder.

The younger boy snorted and stuck a dirty finger in his mouth. He whistled and the cats stopped rushing about the mansion, happily trotting back to the kid. They sat on their haunches in front of him, some choosing to groom themselves. The brothers blinked, in awe of the strange wild child, as they stood.

"Xanxus, it isn't nice to call your brothers _idiots_ ," Timoteo admonished lightly, his cane held loosely in his grasp. He tapped Xanxus' side with it in an effort to reprimand the child. The boy only rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, eyes never leaving the hoard of cats.

"Father? Who _is_ this child?" Enrico asked, the first to snap out of his daze. Timoteo had called the kid Xanxus, hadn't he? Timoteo smiled, but it was strained. Massimo hunched his shoulders automatically, tension running through his veins like a drug. He could tell that whatever Timoteo was about to say would be unpleasant.

"This is Xanxus, your long-lost brother."

(He was right. Massimo hated it when he was right.)

* * *

Xanxus stared defiantly at the three older boys, his eyes narrow and full of mistrust. Federico flinched at the intense look and hid behind Enrico. The eldest was staring at their father, questions on his face and in his soul.

( _ **They**_ cackled at the tension in the air internally.)

"Father, you can't be _serious_ ," Enrico said, his tone light and bordering hysterical. Xanxus' gaze drifted towards Timoteo, wondering what he would say to _that_. _That_ was a heavy accusation.

( _The eldest_ , **She** whispered, _is in the mafia. He has the_ look _in his eye. The other two don't._ )

" _Enrico!_ _Hold your tongue_ ," Timoteo snapped, uncharacteristically harsh. Xanxus' mouth nearly dropped open but he kept it tightly clamped together to prevent it. Massimo and Federico, however, weren't nearly as controlled as the six year old.

(How sad was _that_? Xanxus could read both of them like a book, even without **Her** help.)

(Then again, he _was_ a street rat. And knowing how to read others was _essential_ to his survival.)

"Now, Xanxus, a maid will help you to your room. You may re-decorate it any way you wish. I need to speak to your brothers," Timoteo continued, gentler, to Xanxus. He was tempted to sneer but refrained from doing so.

The promised maid was a younger woman with tightly braided gold locks who _obviously_ adored children. She knelt in front of Xanxus with friendly(if a bit confused)eyes and a friendlier smile. Xanxus tried to maintain his scowl but it fell flat on his face.

"Hello little one. My name is Abrianna," she stated gently. Xanxus grunted and nodded his head respectfully.

(He may have been a _rude_ fuck, but being _unnecessarily_ rude to women was not high on his list.)

"Xanxus, ma'am," he said, clearing his throat. Abrianna simply melted into a puddle of goo, cooing at how "polite" he was.

"Alright then, Xanxus dear, let's go get you cleaned up. You're simply filthy!" she stated, attempting to grab his hand. Xanxus shook his head at the gesture.

"I can walk by myself, _ma'am_ ," he said, slightly harsher. She appeared taken aback but hurriedly smiled to placate him.

"Of course dear. Right this way," she said, leading him away from the tense atmosphere. Xanxus was a little sad to not see the outcome of the inevitable explosion but shrugged and followed obediently.

 _And of course_ , his cats followed after him. Abrianna didn't appear to care, only occasionally shooting glances at Xanxus and the animals that trailed his steps. It spoke measurably of her professionalism, and Xanxus mildly wondered how much of a maid she _really_ was.

(The facade was not easily seen through. Abrianna _was_ a top notch assassin after all.)

(Still, Xanxus didn't discard the notion as ridiculous. This was the _Vongola_ mansion after all.)

"Here we are Xanxus. There is a bathroom inside the room. Will you need any help?" Abrianna _clearly_ didn't dismiss the boy either, if her tone had anything to suggest. Mildly appreciating it, Xanxus shook his head. Abrianna waved to him and left, probably to report to someone about his existence. Rolling his eyes, Xanxus entered the room, ushering the hoard into it.

(Thankfully, Abrianna seemed to take into account the sheer number of cats he had.)

(Xanxus wondered absently if she would be swayed to his cause. It was _so_ hard to find thoughtful subordinates, even if he hadn't ever dealt with any, period.)

* * *

For weeks after that first day, Xanxus hadn't been allowed to _do_ much of anything. He was on, essentially, bed rest. He was _apparently_ sick, without actually knowing it, and needed to heal from it.

( _Clearly_ , the bullshit meter was broken in someone else's head, but not Xanxus'.)

(Then again he _did_ frequently throw up after eating. **She** blamed the rich food on his malnourished body but the Vongola doctors "wanted to be absolutely sure.")

Then, he chanced upon an opportunity.

After sneaking out of his room and wandering through the mansion, Xanxus ran into a man that made his blood curl. He leapt away hurriedly, body positively _trembling._ Even though he didn't know this man, his instincts seemed to know that he was a _danger_ and warned him accordingly.

( **She** gently took over, soothing his frightened mind with **Her** balm.)

The _Sword Emperor_ Tyr eyed the boy critically, automatically cataloging everything he could about the trembling form.

(You didn't get to be _that_ powerful and just dismiss seemingly weak opponents. Tyr knew this fact all too well.)

Xanxus stood up straighter, squared his shoulders, and looked Tyr in the eye. Though he was afraid, he wasn't going to give in. This could be a chance to sharpen himself, if he played his cards right.

( _ **They**_ didn't know how the original Xanxus became as powerful as he did. But _**They**_ knew that _**They**_ needed to surpass him.)

"I'm Xanxus," he said, fighting to keep the tremble out of his voice, "Who are _you?_ " Tyr waited, though, watching him with dark black eyes. After what felt like years, he let out a snort. Xanxus scowled.

"Cute, kid. Real cute. I _like_ you. The name's Tyr. You're the new Vongola brat, right?" Xanxus nodded, his stomach churning violently.

(This was _**Tyr.**_ _**Tyr!**_ )

(The same Tyr who would fall to Squalo. The same Tyr who was the Sword Emperor. _**That**_ Tyr!)

( _ **They**_ were violently excited, so much so that _**Their**_ nausea was returning.)

"If you like me so much," _**They**_ said slyly, a small, feral smirk forming on _**Their**_ face, "then you wouldn't mind teaching me how to be an _assassin_ , would you _Mr. Sword Emperor?_ " Tyr's laughter echoed loudly through the hallway at the request. Xanxus didn't falter in the slightest at it, the smirk on his face never so much as twitching. After the older man caught his breath, he laid a dark, heavy hand on Xanxus' shaggy head.

"Oh _boy_ , this isn't good kid," he told the boy, a much more lethal smirk on his own face, "I really, _really_ do _like_ you!"

* * *

Omake: _New Cats_

Xanxus pulled out their phone, grunting at the red notification on the _App Store_ icon. They snorted and checked the _update_ section lazily, perking up once they saw that it was for _Neko Atsume_.

There were new cats available, as well as goodies and wallpapers. Feeling somewhat giddy, they pressed _update_ and impatiently waited for the app to finish. Once it did, they hurriedly scrolled through the new goodies, buying them as soon as they passed them. Setting the goodies up, they exited it and began to wait.

They didn't have to wait long.

Half an hour later, Xanxus opened up their app again to find two new cats that they had never seen. Their steel heart melted a little as they clicked on the cats and learned their names.

(Ganache and Apricot…..almost as good as Spud, _**They**_ decided.)

* * *

Bam, double update! I was off from work today so I was like...let's do this. Anyway, there's some smol plot stuff here! The three Vongola boys, Enrico, Massimo, and Federico were fun to write. TBH I wrote Massimo as like...a womanizer simply because he kind of looked like it? IDK! But what I do know is that Massi and Enrico looked p ugly lol. ANYWAY, Enrico was kind of hypocritical huh? Claiming to keep Federico out of fights with his brother then turning around and pointing out that he SHOULD be training for the mafia. SMH GOD.

Abrianna apparently means mother of many nations and she was like last minute? She _is_ a maid but she's also a hired assassin. If someone were to breach the fortress and they got through all those low level lackeys, they'd end up facing her and many of the other assassins stationed throughout the manor lol. So basically, a half-way boss like in LoZ.

And now we have Tyr entering! I imagine Tyr was a lot like Takeshi-he's loose and relaxed normally but god _damn_ he can kick some serious ass when he needs to. But the key difference between the two is that he's _deliberately_ laid back. It's all a front to hide his sadistic nature and his blood thirst. Make no mistake though, he isn't as unhinged as Belphegor. He just knows how to _appreciate_ the fine things in life.

Another Neko Atsume omake too! The app just updated today and I was so excited to see the new cats/goodies! And there's wallpapers and a new style for remodeling!

frustrated: Bro, thank you for speaking up! TBH there was something bothering me about this fic before you said something but I couldn't put my finger on it. It might have been because it's been soooo long since I've even glanced at the _WIKI_ let alone the manga/anime of KHR that I completely forgot how Xanxus is ACTUALLY portrayed and yeah, I WAS basically turning him into the canon Xanxus. It's actually very hard, in my opinion to take a character who is ALREADY very...ruthless/cruel/villain-like and make them WORSE. I hope I can, at the _very_ least, try to write this in such a way that it becomes obvious that my Xanxus/Emilio isn't _just_ Xanxus. He's also another, entirely different person underneath Xanxus, the person he was before he died. (AND I REALLY SHOULDN'T SAY THIS BUT THAT FACT BECOMES PLOT RELEVANT LATER ON.)Again, THANK YOU for pointing out that Xanxus was becoming...well, _himself_. And that isn't EXACTLY a thing that I wanted to happen. Like yes, he'll still be a ruthless, cruel murder with an insatiable need to become Decimo but he's ALSO careful, cunning, not ruled by his anger, not acting on his impulses, etc. It probably isn't very clear right now WHAT I'm trying to do right now, since this is the fourth chapter after all. _HOPEFULLY,_ Xanxus will smooth out with time. He's still 6 ish.

Eep. I wanna cry but I won't because I'm an Adult™

Next time: Training montage episode, and you might wanna be prepared. It's gonna be ugly.

(I'm using the Zoldyck™ method soooo...it's gonna be bad. Xanxus wasn't ENTIRELY prepared for _THAT_ lol PLUS he's behind by about oh, 6 years so he has to make up for it quickly.)


End file.
